This was my third Dead show after the two Denver Dog shows in 1967. Several hundred people showed up. Two big PA speakers sat on the dance floor. The sound was awesome in that great little ballroom. Liquid light show and strobes. The band started hitting it with Morning Dew. If it weren't for a cut at the worst possible moment in Dark Star this version would be my favorite on the archive. The dynamics were incredible. At one point during Dark Star when it was getting a little spacey Mickey bounced out to the front of the stage and started clapping his hands. The crowd picked it up, and the Dead swung into the new beat with us. Cool! At one point the Dead pulled off such a dynamic change that everyone around me stopped dancing and looked at the stage. You can hear both happenings on the recording. Phil was in another (musical) world, his mouth sometimes hanging slackly open as he focused on his playing. Tired from dancing, I sat on the stage next to Pigpen's organ during Alligator. After the show as the band was leaving they called out "Hey Pigpen, let's go!". Pig was talking to a bunch of kids at the front of the stage. "Nah, man. I gotta talk wit my fans!" No shit.

This really is a beauty of an Eleven for Boulder.
The Stephen intro.is as long as any and Jerry crushes the jam. These are nearly the best versions of each back to back.
The Dew is solid.
For Dark Star in this neck of the woods try 4/22.
For That Rag, the ultimate is 2/22.

i really like this show. Mornig Dew is great!

Thought it isn’t as strong as the April Avalon or Ark run, and there are some bad cuts (especially during an otherwise killer Alligator jam) I think that this show is one of April's best hidden gems. The sound quality is great for '69, especially the Miller transfer.
Highlights are plentiful: the Lovelight opener is strong, as well as a nice Schoolgirl with Pig and Garcia trading some hot licks. A fantastically jammed out Morning Dew follows, with Garcia starting from a beautiful whisper and rising to a blinding crescendo. Also a great, jazzy version of the Eleven, and the aforementioned Alligator, with a very nice 'Bid You Goodnight' jam.
But the must-hear highlight is an epic version of Dark Star, one of the very best performances of the song in 1969. I’ve gone back and forth on this a lot, but I think this could be my favorite version of the year, too.
The pre-verses jamming is extraordinary; Garcia’s use of dynamics is simply masterful, escalating and relaxing at the perfect moments. After a brief space, the band launch into a fast paced, psychedelic jazz jam, Garcia, Lesh and the drummers intertwining very nicely. Things become a bit poignant, just before Garcia rides the Dark Star theme powerfully to an intense conclusion.

i simply cannot get enough stephen into 11, one of the best things ever to come into existence. why did they have to start playing the shit they did in the 70's (obviously this is an overstatements), but godamn, how nice were those days before donna polluting some classic jams. if i had a time machine id go back to co and watch this show. shows like this one can appreciate in the soberest state of mind. i miss the high green chilly, wind in windy jams. why would one stop playing that as part of stephen and prefer fading into something else. i dont understand why they stopped playing this part of the song live after the early 70's, its one of the best parts of stephen. anyways, this is one of my favorite elevens.

I don't hear any part of Caution. I would call it (Drums >) Jam > And We Bid You Good Night Jam which would have been typical for this period, but I don't think theres ans evidence where it would have gone after the cut. The whole show is a nice listen, but 4 stars due to incompleteness.

The fact that the eleven from this show is not mentioned in the reviews is the work of satan himself. Huge eleven here. If you are a fan, this is a MUST HEAR. Great little show here. Solid sound as well.

a stand out show from this tour

I have not seen this Dew on any of the "best of" lists, but it is really quite good. Jerry really pulls out all the stops with his runs, and while it is not a "Majestic", slowly building climax kind of dew, it is a wailing, "southern rock" tinged guitar lick bonanza- almost duane allmen like (or was Duane copying Jerry)- just like the solos on Lovelight

very good dark star, lovelight, i especially love the jam that ends it, is that GDTRFB i hear in this jam..to bad it cuts off, itd be 5 star worthy if it was not for the cuts

A pleasant "Dark Star," one in which they take their time and listen to each otherr. In the zone and filled with character. It follows all the contours of the classic Live Dead "Dark Star."

Good energy this night. A pity the end of Lovelight is cut off, as Pigpen seemed to have the crowd in his palm at that point. A below average Doin' that Rag interrupts the Pigpen raunchfest which continues w/an excellent "Schoolgirl," but Jerry makes up for it with one of the best "Dew"s of this period. The rest of the show follows suit, not without flaws, but infused with a good amount of "it."